Sustainable Ceramics #1: Recycled, Repaired, Reactivated

From November 25, 2023 to November 3, 2024, the Princessehof Ceramics Museum presents Sustainable Ceramics #1: Recycled, Repaired, Reactivated. In this group exhibition, artists and designers, from home and abroad, focus on the future of sustainability within their field. By reusing material, repairing and reactivating work, the works in this exhibition have significantly less negative impact on the planet. The exhibition explores both conventional and modern methods of sustainable ceramic production: from traditional mosaics, consisting of shards, to pioneering forms of biomineralization. With these impressive and innovative works, the National Ceramics Museum wants to inspire visitors to think about repair and reuse in their daily lives. Sustainable Ceramics #1: Recycled, Repaired, Reactivated is the first exhibition in the exhibition trilogy on sustainability.

With work by, among others, Kerstin Abraham (Germany, 1956), Alix Arto (Switzerland, 1994), Olivia Barisano (France, 1982), Thelma Boateng (Netherlands, 1994), Jie Chen (China, 1988), Nicole Chrysikou (Greece, 1992), Sara Howard (United Kingdom, 1997), Katrine Køster Holst (Denmark, 1979), Neha Kudchadkar (India, 1982), Cleo Mussi (United Kingdom, 1965), Benedetta Pompili (Italy, 1995), Caroline Slotte (Finland) , 1975) and Bart Vernooij (Netherlands, 1996).

The production of ceramics is extremely unsustainable: clay is fired at high temperatures and requires an enormous amount of energy, glaze is often very polluting and the raw materials are finite. With the exhibition series Sustainable Ceramics, the Princessehof investigates the future prospects of ceramics as a medium. And where this future lies for artists and designers, but also for the museum itself. In this first exhibition in the series, both makers and visitors are invited to think about the reuse of raw materials and materials. The exhibition offers space to get creative and think about recycling, repairing and reactivating ceramics.

Greta Thunberg

Especially for the exhibition, artist Cleo Mussi created a mosaic consisting of shards of historical ceramics, with climate activist Greta Thunberg in the leading role. “She was the perfect subject because she connects with the next generation in her approach to solving the climate crisis. She advocates that everyone can and should contribute, even if it is in a small way. Together we can achieve great things.”

Very good bacteria

The production of ceramics is a polluting process. To make the process more sustainable, designer Nicole Chrysikou looked for a new production method that creates strong ceramics without firing it in an oven. In collaboration with scientists, she grew a specific bacterial culture. This culture transforms ceramic waste into hard ceramics. With the project BacTerra, Chrysikou hopes to start the conversation about the promising possibilities of biotechnology within ceramics and traditional crafts.

Sustainability in the Princessehof Ceramics Museum

In the coming years, Dr. Wendy Gers, curator of modern and contemporary ceramics, on an exhibition program around sustainable ceramics. The theme of sustainability has been an important theme within the museum for some time. In preparation for the series, the Princessehof already showed work by Kim Habers (2021), Yoon Seok-Hyeon (2021 to 2022) and Humade (2022). These artists also experimented with questions about sustainability within ceramic production and in society. Sustainability is also central to the exhibition EKWC@Princessehof: Keeley Haftner – Carbon Copies (2023), her work is about the symbolic compensation of her ecological footprint.

Partners Princessehof: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Municipality of Leeuwarden, Ottema-Kingma Foundation, Association of Friends Princessehof Ceramic Museum and Club Céramique.